This invention relates to children""s games. It relates more particularly to a convertible game table which may be used to play a version of the bowling game marketed under the brand name SKEE-BALL, as well as other games such as rebound hockey, pool and billiards.
Convertible game tables per se have been on the market for many years. Usually the games that can be played with such tables are fairly similar in that they are played within the same play area and at the same elevation above the floor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,760 discloses a game table which can accommodate Foosball, basketball and glide hockey, all which are played within the same table area. U.S. Pat. No. 1,979,177 depicts convertible game apparatus for playing billiards, croquet, roque and clock golf. Again, all of these games are similar and are played within the same field or game surface and at the same elevation above the floor. Other game tables for playing different game combinations are known in the art, see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 462,843; 512,337 and 552,786. Since the games that can be played on these prior tables are so similar, they may not hold the players"" interests over the long term.
Also, some prior convertible game tables typified by the ones disclosed in the above patents are relatively complex and difficult to make and to assemble.
Therefore, it would be desirable if there existed a compact convertible game table which can be used to play several completely different games on a variable playing surface which may be positioned at different elevations above the floor depending upon the particular game being played.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved convertible game table.
Another object in the invention is to provide such a table which can be used to play several different games on different-area playing surfaces at different elevations above the floor.
A further object of the invention is to provide a convertible game table such as this, all of whose parts can be stored compactly in a single base unit which may function as a carrying case.
Another object of the invention is to provide a table of this type which provides audio and visual indications of game scores.
A further object of the invention is to provide a convertible game table which can be manufactured in quantity at relatively low cost.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a table which can be assembled quite easily by the consumer without requiring any special tools.
Other objects will, in part, be obvious, and, will in part, appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the following detailed description and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
Briefly, the present convertible game table can be used to play a SKEE-BALL-type game, a rebound hockey or shuffle board game and pool or billiards, which utilize different playing areas and may be played at different elevations above the floor. In a SKEE-BALL-type game, a player rolls balls along a relatively flat runway or alley towards an upwardly curving ramp which, if the balls are rolled with sufficient momentum, will cause the balls to become airborne and land in an upwardly angled target area situated beyond the ramp. The target area contains different size receptacles, the receptacles receiving the balls determining the score. A portable SKEE-BALL-type table is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,919.
However, to applicant""s knowledge, such a game is not incorporated into a game is table capable of being used to play other completely different games such as pool and billiards. This is because a SKEE-BALL-type game requires a much longer playing surface than pool and is usually played closer to the floor than pool because the player has to roll the ball along the runway underhand as in bowling. As will be seen, the present table is able to be used for both of those games, as well as for a version of hockey or shuffle board in which a player slides a puck along a runway or alley to a rebound surface which causes the puck to rebound towards its point of origin to one of several target areas, the score being determined by the area in which the puck comes to rest. That game may be played at different elevations above the floor depending upon the heights and desires of the players.
As will be seen, when this game table is not being used, all of its components can be contained within a base which may function as a case to facilitate shipping and storing the table. The game table is composed of a minimum member of parts to accomplish its objectives, all of which parts can be made in quantity relatively inexpensively. Therefore, the game table should prove to be a highly marketable play item.